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Davis has a pair of wins under the Bellator banner on his resume (Photo courtesy of Sherdog.com).

Light Heavyweight Competition to Begin in March

The field for the upcoming Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament is now set, with the promotion announcing Raphael Davis (10-1) as the eighth and final participant for the competition. The former Division 1 All-American wrestler at Cal State Bakersfield completes an intriguing bracket of fighters who will compete for the inaugural Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship, with the tournament now ready to get underway in March.

“Raphael’s been with us for a while now,” Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. “Last year, he sat with me at the Hard Rock and said that all he wanted was the chance to compete in a world title tournament, and I’m thrilled that we are able to provide him that opportunity.”

A current resident of Costa Mesa, California, Davis enters this competition on an impressive nine-match winning streak. Among the victories he has secured during his recent run include a pair of wins under the Bellator banner, a submission of Demetrius Richards at Bellator 22 and a unanimous decision over former King of the Cage Heavyweight Champion Tony Lopez at Bellator 34. The decision victory he registered over Lopez was the first time he needed the judges’ input in his 10 career wins.

As a fighter who has suffered just a single defeat on a resume that has eclipsed nearly five years, Davis feels that it is now his time to make a lasting impression on the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

“I've been waiting for so long for this Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament to finally happen,” he said. “I've been seeing all of these other champions get their belts, put on them after their fights, and I want one of those belts for myself. That has always been my goal ever since I first started fighting. I just want to win a belt. I want to be a world champion. Now, I'm just really excited to finally have that chance.”

Davis now completes the field for the inaugural Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament, joining Christian M’Pumbu, Richard Hale, Tim Carpenter, DJ Linderman, Chris Davis, Nik Fekete and Daniel Gracie. In addition to holding claim to the first-ever light heavyweight title under the Bellator banner, the winner of this tournament will also take home a $100,000 purse.